This article was originally published by Environmental Leader on July 30, 2015. Access the full article here.
A new online tool allows businesses to benchmark and improve their environmental, social and governance (ESG) business practices.
The Root360 survey, developed by Manomet’s Sustainable Economies Program, takes about 15 minutes to complete and includes a tool for comparative benchmarking and an interactive analysis tool to help businesses evaluate options and make strategic decisions. There is no cost to take the survey and to receive the assessment.
Root360 provides an opportunity for business owners, financial officers and operational managers to assess how sustainably “fit” they are and find out how they compare on the ESG spectrum.
The Root360 platform recognizes that ESG is rapidly becoming an important definition for the sustainability of a business for the investment and other communities. Special features of the program include a benchmarking tool for comparative analysis and an interactive sustainability SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) Analysis.
The Root360 tool was crafted specifically for small and medium-sized businesses, but organizations of all sizes are invited to participate. Impact calculators are tied to best management practices and show savings — both in cost and resources like greenhouse gas emissions, gallons of water and tons of waste.
The Root360 platform was designed by Manomet and developed by John Rooks, founder and sustainability consultant for The Soap Group and founder of the award-winning technology start-up Rapport, a cloud-based software that tracks key sustainability metrics for small and medium-sized businesses. The Root360 calculator uses the same engine as the Rapport system.
Last September the Principles for Responsible Investment Initiative and Ceres’ Investor Network on Climate Risk, in partnership with the UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative, drafted an open letter to the International Organization of Securities Commissions, expressing their concern about the lack of rigorous ESG disclosure, which they say is a growing risk that needs to be addressed.